


Where To Begin

by Actualized



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Eventual Connor/Kara, Eventual Markus/Simon, F/M, Freeform, Human Alice Williams (Detroit: Become Human), More an adventure thriller than straight up romance, Not Beta Read, Original Characters - Freeform, Post Pacifist Ending, Rating subject to change, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 03:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16210670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actualized/pseuds/Actualized
Summary: She can feel the rhythm of an engine. Substantial but soothing. She can feel plush, clean, seats. Expensive. Brand new. She's the passenger in the back seat of a car. That much is clear.But what’s not-is what will change.Post game ending where only Alice and Kara made it to Canada.





	1. The Ride

She opens her eyes to a soft colorless haze. Bubbling pieces, scattered apart. Slowly one begins to stretch for another and then, at first touch, they color themselves and blend. The browns and greens, they become trees. The blacks and whites, mountains, and the blues and grays, the sky.

 

She blinks.

 

It's a landscape. A landscape that's still-and then suddenly moving. It loops for miles across the horizon. Near endless. Pretty. Forever in motion behind a window.

 

She raises her hand carefully to the glass, pressing each finger, one at a time. A message casts before her reflection. It is for her eyes only.

 

Sy st em pr oc e ssi ng 96 % co mp lete

 

She closes her eyes as the final portion of her boot completes itself. She can feel the rhythm of an engine. Substantial but soothing. She can feel plush clean seats. Expensive. Brand new. She's the passenger in the backseat of a car. That much is clear.

 

Her eyes open again.

 

Questions begin first. Where. Why. How. There is so much to ask and consider. So much to think about…when a warm weight gently presses into her side.

 

Alice.

 

Kara searches quickly for a pulse. A calm gentle beat responds to her touch. Relieved, she moves to stroke the little girl's forehead.

 

Sound asleep, thank heaven. All vitals are normal. Clothes are clean. Hair is clean. A soft blanket dangles off her shoulders. It is not theirs, but undoubtedly warm. She picks it up and evens it better, tucking the ends for extra security. Once she feels sure, Kara turns away to peer her surroundings.

 

Up ahead, in the front row seat of the car, are two men. They are suited with sunglasses, near shadowed by the dark interior of the car. At first sight of these figures, a strong but strange impulse flows through her system. Oddly enough, it seems to calm her.

 

She has...memories of these men. Recent memories. No less than a few hours ago. They were polite. Professional. Guiding.

 

Suddenly, she is calm. Calmer. More than before. It's enough to access her memory.

 

It had happened so fast.

 

One minute she was cooking breakfast for Alice. Then, she was answering the door. Then, she was packing a suitcase for two-and then-she was entering a wide black sedan.

 

The first thing they were told was that they would be safe, provided for and protected at all times. The second, was that they couldn't know anything beyond that until they were outside the Canadian border.

 

They drove along, following a lone road in silence that seemed to stretch for miles. Rows of lush trees and cascading mountains bordering the view. At some point, Alice grew heavy beside her and the two eventually drifted.

 

It was true. Kara had no idea where they were going. Wherever they were now, it was miles away from home. Yet there was an odd peace about that. Her and Alice, in a quiet place with no need to be anywhere. No imminent threat. At this moment, it felt pleasant. However anxious she should have been, she was thankful Alice was safe. However doubtful, these two men had yet to betray their word.

 

A simulation of weariness reaches for her again and she welcomes it. She curls an arm around Alice, leans her head back, and slowly, waits for her system to power down.

 

For now, what was unknown was a problem for another time. For once, the speed of the world had stopped spinning.

 

* * *

 

 

Kara's eyes flutter open, blinking her attention upfront. A shrill noise from outside, hissing in her ear. Wind.

 

Alice? Still here. Still asleep. Who was that then?

 

It was one of the men, the one in the passenger seat. He had rolled down his window and peaked his head out. Light from the sun spotlights his face, revealing bright curls of human hair.

 

He whistles into the wind.

 

Kara studies his profile. Tanned skin. Chiseled jaw. Golden brown hair. Five o'clock shadow. He was everything that was a wild cowboy from old pictures and comic books. They were stored in her logs. Children's literature. The only thing contradictory were the sunglasses.

 

She watches him. Watches him bask in the sun, staring out with a content curl in his lips. Watches him scratch his chin, slowly remove his sunglasses and then turn over his shoulder to look directly at her.

 

"Oh."

 

Agents of the federal bureau. They were the most adept, cunning, and articulate humans of their species. Of course he had felt her eyes on him. It could also be true to say he knew exactly when she had awakened.

 

Rather than stare her down, he smiles.

 

"Well hello-" He begins. The greeting trails and then stops. Something had caught his attention. He had looked past her. Alice's sleeping form. He nods and clears his throat, adapting to a softer register while rolling up the window. "Sorry bout that."

 

His smile remains as he turns back to face her and Kara stares on. He looked sympathetic, had a gentle voice to match, had raw pieces of himself in her memory that would be classified as sympathetic…but she cannot return the smile.

 

The man doesn't falter in the slightest.

 

"Missy..." he begins again. His tone is the same. Relaxed with a touch of humility. It belonged in a country song. "You really have no idea why two agents just picked you up from your domicile at the crack of dawn?"

 

There's only one thing she can say to that.

 

"No."

 

"Alright." He takes her answer, in assessment to obvious stress. Then he speaks again, and for some reason his words feel vaguely familiar. Perhaps this wasn't the first time he had explained himself to her.

 

Or perhaps it was. The world spun fast when he and the other agent arrived. In the quiet it had stopped. Now it was back, gaining speed by the minute.

 

"Hey look we know you're scared -but just know that you're safe and we're glad we found ya."

 

No yes. She remembered this now. He said something like this. When they first met. When he lead himself inside. When he guided them to the couch of their apartment, to their room for a suitcase and lastly, to the car.

 

"I mean y'all are practically celebrities."

 

Kara blinks. She looks down at her lap. Then back at the man.

 

She didn't remember that.

 

She begins mouthing the word to his calm face. It was a rare one in her vocabulary. Once, twice and then

finally, comfortably, aloud.

 

"Celebrities."

 

The man nods, smile slightly wider.

 

"Yes missy. All over the news in the states. Hit the other night."

 

The world.

 

"Super android mom rescues human girl."

 

It was spinning faster.

 

"Once we located you in Canada well, we were just glad to find you, right Ja-hey…Hey! Hey are you alright? Hey you're safe now."

 

Out of nowhere a deep voice, cracking midway like a broken radio.

"Ike, do I need to change our route?"

 

"No Jack, stay on course, she's just….hey. Hey you can hear me I know you can. Trust me. You. Are. safe. Nothing bad will happen to you. We're here for that. You may have been living in Canada but you're from our country. So we're taking you to a place where you'll be safe. We gotta make sure you and the kid are good so they'll be two stops. After that, we settle you in and we go from there. Good stuff. All good things ahead. Better things. We promise."

 

It should have meant nothing but she grabbed onto it all. Partly because it sounded too good to be true. Where could she go anyway if it wasn't. Certainly not now. Jumping out of a moving vehicle, violently disturbing Alice in the process.

 

For whatever it was worth, she decides to be honest too. Sincere. No hiding. No lies.

 

"I-I tried to scan the car… You're federal agents."

 

"You scanned the car?"

 

"Y-Yes." However mild, an expression of amusement crawls across the human's face.

 

"Really? Well yes, missy we are agents..." he scratches his head. "I don't know much about androids and scanning, but I'll introduce myself anyway. I'm FBI Agent Ike Howell and the one driving is Agent Jack Thatcher."

 

Names. Names were good. She takes them like coveted notes to a test. She runs them into her data logs. An AX400 had a large registry of names. Primarily convenient for expecting couples. Ike. Jack. She finds them. She creates a new file for each.

 

Ike. Her system has a niche pool of data. Mostly in children's books and one play in particular. She cannot find too many specifics-her stress prohibits it-but a quick image of the character flashes before her. Ike… Cheerful. Optimistic. Infectious positivity. It makes her want to smile but she holds it in.

 

Jack. The pool of info is much larger. Many decades ago, it was a very common name for boys many, fiction or otherwise. Now however, it was archaic. There were many Jacks in her registry. Far too many to account for any section alone. She would have to search later.

 

Ike... Jack... She has questions for both of them but firstly she had one in particular about herself that takes precedence.

 

"You mentioned the news.."

 

"Yes, Missy."

 

"Am I wanted?"

 

Ike bites his lip for a moment.

 

"Let's… just say that once we get to our official destination… " he glances to the hidden agent Jack and they exchange a two-second stare. "…the White House…you'll be a lot safer than you were before."

 

A short silence falls around them. It would have settled completely, for the whole ride, if not for her reaction.

 

"The White House..." Her main pump accelerates and she holds a hand to her chest. The leader of her human country. She wanted to meet her and Alice? It was unfathomable. It was.

 

"Hey, Kara."

 

She looks up at Ike and his warm face. He points at her with his thumb and index finger.

 

"You're smiling."

 

"Ike, we"re getting the call."

 

"Hm...? Okay. Let's leave the audio on output so they can follow."

 

"Alright."

 

Kara watches Ike tip an invisible hat to her before sliding himself forward. "S'cuse us for a moment ladies. You'll get all the answers you need very soon, I promise. Oh and please, feel free to pry."

 

"Autopilot has been activated. Main screen is turning on now."

 

"Thanks Jack."

 

Just as the other agent has said, a hologram screen initiates and expands across the entire dashboard window. Another suited agent appears on sight. This time, a human female.

 

"Cool..."

At some point Alice had woken up. Kara takes her hand without thought and leans back into the seat. So much was going to happen, change their lives. She was glad how well Alice was taking this.

 

"Agents Ike Howel and Jack Thatcher. Please state your status reports."

 

"This is Agent Howel speaking… Lets see here, Emily. No casualities I believe. Subjects are one hundred percent cooperative. Supermom is very polite. Very pretty too, just like yourself last time we met. ETA is ...roughly two hours and 45 minutes, I would say, including our medical and rest stop. Don't have my watch on me currently though. Left it at home."

 

"Agent Thatcher?'

 

"Jack, I believe the lady wants to know your side of the story now."

 

"Agent Thatcher speaking. Everything…is fairly on par with Agents Howels account. ETA will however be approximately 4 hours-."

 

"-Shit."

 

"-and 46 minutes, So we will definitely be needing their assistance."

 

"Understood, Thatcher. I'll forward the request to the department of Detroit. Please proceed to the destination and we'll brief you on your next assignment within 48 hours."

 

"Thank you, Emily."

 

The screen shrinks away without notice.

 

"Supermom..." Alice whispers under her breath. She's still plenty exhausted, not even budging from her smudged spot. She glances up at Kara before cuddling closer. "So cool..."

 

Kara can see Agent Howel had heard her. His head was angled at them. He had the absolute ears of a hawk. When he turns around fully, he offers Alice a small smile before facing them both.

 

"I can answer more questions now by the way."

 

Kara doesn't know where to begin.

 

"How did I get on the news?"

 

"I'd rather not get too descriptive in front of the little girl but...well you remember a man by the name of Zlatko?"

 

"...Yes."

 

"We got to investigating him a few months ago. Found a lot of surveillance footage there. Media got ahold of it, then the public. It spread fast. Caught viral as we sometimes say. Some of it's a little distorted but the message is all the same. That then lead us to you and another man, Todd Williams. Look, all you need to be reminded is that you're a hero, Plain and simple to both us humans and your androids."

 

All Kara can do is stare. Once again, Ike's face doesn't falter.

 

"If you still have questions there will be a formal briefing where we arrive at our last stop. It'll be long and boring as all hell though. Figured I'd give an informal heads up to you two to calm your heads a bit."

 

"I…I just have one more question."

 

"Ask away."

 

"Will we be able to return home?"

 

She watches Ike open his mouth to answer when a different voice speaks.

 

"Do you like it in Canada, Miss Kara?"

 

At first, Kara doesn't know where to look. Then, she understands. Carefully, She turns to the drivers seat and finds the other agent. His face is completely out of the rear view mirror. All she has was his voice, a solid neutral tone. Model FBI conduct but at the same time, lifeless.

 

Small fear bubbles up inside. It nearly drained away her focus but she fights back. She sits up tall. She squeezes Alice's hand. Agent Thatcher had asked her a simple question. She would give her simple answer.

 

"Yes," she says. Quick. Affirmative. "Canada is our home."

 

A strained silence precedes his reply.

 

"Then let's hope so."


	2. The Upgrade

Thousands of tiny little lines.

 

Convulsing tiny little lines

 

Black and white.

 

Black and white, black and white, black and white, black and white, black and…

 

…

 

…

 

…..

 

"On November 11th, 2038, countless androids were decommissioned or executed under our own government order. Today, survivors coexist peacefully with humans under the reinstallment law, the first of many android laws to come. As with many civil rights causes in the past, the battle for equal legislation reform remains uphill for the android race and the leaders of Jericho. Yet as they and many continue discourse with political officials day after -"

 

"-Raise the volume-"

 

"-Yes captain Fowler."

 

"-nd tensions persist, a single video appears to have united us all. It is unknown where this video was first uploaded but as of tonight, it has gone viral and spread across the globe, eliciting responses from many figures, including the president herself. By now. Most of us have seen it. A human child and a female android, fighting for their lives against what appears to be their human captor. As of tonight, it has surpassed 422 million views."

 

"Fucking hell."

 

"Shh."

 

"Since the launch, many have tried to identify the subjects. Our staff here have worked tirelessly to correctly report who this android and little girl are and possibly, where they are today. Tonight we have gained clearance from the national security to share who they are-"

 

"Fuck!"

 

"Jesus-I said quiet Gavin!"

 

"- and how this horrific scene came about. But before we open with our story, we are going to air the video. If there are any children watching now, I would advise you to turn them away. What you are about to see is the uncut original footage our team managed to obtain with permission from law enforcement. It is graphic, deeply upsetting and, we personally believe, wholly necessary for the future of humanity to witness, human and android alike."

 

"Ali/ ce you ha aa. Vv ve to ke. ep up!"

 

"Kar K a. Ra you. 're ble. edi ng. "

 

"I k now."

 

"Kara..l Ka…ra K. ar. a! He's co. mi. ng Kara! H. e's co. ming! He's going to h. urt us-he's co. mi ng ! He's g. on. na g. et us K. K aa ara he. 's gon. na huuu. rt me."

 

"Alice run."

 

"Get ov. er h h we ere!"

 

"Kar-ah no!"

 

"Al. i. c. e! You nee eed. Yo nee. d to ru-."

 

Seventy one police officers crammed into the conference room. Seventy one police officers, some in uniform, others, a range of dress from coats to gym clothes. They all looked as if they'd been pulled from different time zones and they all felt disturbed, drained and cold from the front row to the back.

 

Behind the very last row, standing just outside the back doorway, is Lieutenant Hank Anderson. Underneath his heavy overcoat is a t-shirt, lounge pants and hiking boots. In his hands he grips his car keys.

 

He was the last to arrive.

 

The last time the conference room looked like this was about a year ago. It was the night that Markus broadcasted a call for war against all humans. And the public opinion fell like an absolute ton of bricks. It was a damn miracle in itself how the android and his group managed to take back that threat and win their fight with newfound peace. But until that happened, until that shift, Detroit felt dead. The world felt dead. As if it had stopped moving, a sensation Hank was hardly estranged from.

 

Tonight, however, he would be sober. Would remain so until he was home alone with the doors locked and the shutters down. The footage may have been quick but the faces were unmistakable. They were the girls Connor had chased toward the highway. It took him barely a second to connect himself. He dropped his drink and grabbed his coat.

 

Not a single soul crossed him. Not a single person dared to look. They could all feel him. The only one with raw anger in the room. Anger at no one but himself.

 

"Hank."

 

"What?"

 

Fowler had told him in a phone call. The FBI didn't need to talk to him or Connor. They were stopping by to pick up the one piece of evidence left behind. The one piece that even Connor has missed. The missing led of the girl android and a hair sample of the little girl.

 

"Hank, Connor's here."

 

"No he isn't."

 

"Yes he is. His team is here in my office and he's waiting by your desk."

 

Hank twists his head, a glare in his eyes. He's ready to snap at anyone for any attempt of bullshit. But past his superiors shoulders, sits no bluff at all. There, in his chair, bundled up like a winter athlete, is his former android partner. Connor.

 

Connor, who now worked for the FBI.

 

He nudges Fowler aside and makes a beeline.

 

Hank had only seen the video twice, but Connor, he must have seen it a hundred. Probably saw more. Yes of course he did. He goddamn knew more. He could see it in his expression as he got closer. Pained. Locked. Fighting the urge to break yet another code.

 

"Hi Hank."

 

His head is down. His hands are folded and he sounds terrible. His first week since graduating Quantico and already it was unforgiving.

 

"Hey Connor."

 

Connor unclasps one of his hands and dangles his fingers, leaving a space for where his coin would fit. He looked lost. More out of his element than usual. Androids didn't need sleep. Didn't sleep period but he looked exhausted. He almost offered to get him coffee.

 

The old man stuffs his hands in his pockets. They both needed a distraction.

 

"So….chauffeur? Is that how you travel now?"

 

"Limo actually..."

 

"Huh." Tax money at its finest. "Comfortable?"

 

"…Very quiet."

 

"Yeah…"

 

"I'm still with the bureau, Hank." He says, like he doesn't believe it. "They only asked me a few questions. Nothing different than what a policeman would want to know…"

 

Hank frowns, Fowler lied. Or maybe Fowler didn't know. Both made sense. "So there was a clip of us."

 

Connor's led whirs faster. It probably had been yellow since his first day of class. That was months ago. God it felt like weeks.

 

"The media knows there's more out there, Hank. But even if they do release it…" He looks up at Hank and then back down. "The footage of us… If they get it, you're out of shot so they won't pursue you but I'm…." His voice drops. "I'm unmistakable."

 

"What did they ask you?"

 

And drops more. "They wanted to know why we didn't follow up."

 

"What'd you say?"

 

There was no response from him. Hank knew the answer. Connor told them exactly what was in the report. That it wasn't worth it. That they'd never make it. That they didn't matter.

 

"Connor…"

 

"I know. I was a machine then… but they… What I saw… She…. The little girl…" He stares into nothing. "She wasn't an android."

 

"Jesus…"

 

"She was falsely reported to avoid an investigation into Todd Williams. He was… planning on selling them for money, to get one. An android child. Until then, he pretended she was. With the mother legally removed from the family, and no close contacts…no one noticed or could. She was invisible. Not until…"

 

"The video made the news. ...Is that bastard in prison?"

 

Connor sighs, "I wish I could answer you Hank. I don't know…"

 

"Shit,"

 

"All I know… What I do know, is that I'll be there."

 

"What?"

 

"Sorry Hank. My sense of thought is wandering.. I must have gone days without defragmenting old data… What I mean is, I will be there with my team, tomorrow. In DC."

 

"What?"

 

"Hank you don't-"

 

" No I don't! The fuck is happening in DC tomorrow?"

 

"You really don't know." Connor turns his head to the press conference. "They must not know…" he feels Hank grab his shoulder and turn him around.

 

"Connor. Son, I'm asking you. Sober. Straight as a fucking ruler. What. the fuck. is happening. in DC?"

 

* * *

 

 

 

D i a f

 

D i ag n. f

 

Dia g n os t ic 8 1 %

 

Dia gn o st ic 9 4 %

 

Diagn ostic 99%

 

Diagnostic Complete

 

The rejuvination is a delight but incredibly strong. It's a fast, cold rush that corrodes without settling, like a stream of wind blasting through coated heat.

 

Kara opens her eyes to bright blurry surroundings. She supposed this was how humans had felt when they "recharged" too fast. When they drank too much. When they breathed too deep.

 

There's no soft cushion beneath her. No humming engine. No view of the outside world beyond a glass window. Just a simple doctors room, a desk and a bench where she now sits.

 

The floor appears a gray speckled tile and the walls, very very bright with framed pictures of health guides and degrees.

 

"M o m?"

 

The only thing that stayed the same was Alice by her side.

 

"M o m…"

 

The blanket from the car rounded her shoulders like a cape. One of Alice's sleeves is rolled up where a bandaid rests on her arm. Immunization shots. For her good behavior, a shiny open lollipop rests in her tiny hands. Grape flavor.

 

Alice says something to Kara. She cannot understand any part of it. Her insides continued to churn.

 

"M m."

 

She smiles and holds Alice's hand.

 

Everything would be alright. She still had faith in the agents. They lead her here. Here to this place. Stop number one. Medical check up and evaluation. From what Agent Howel had said, this was indeed a bunker for the federal bureau. Wall beyond wall, thousands of humans.

 

Yet she feels alright. Not once had Alice been pulled away from her side. With that simple comfort she was able to feel some kind of confidence now. Yes. Everything would be alright.

 

Her audio processor is the first to relax. To Kara's surprise there is a quiet humming noise in the room after all. It comes from a fan above the ceiling. She looks up.

 

It makes her think of the car. She looks forward to being back inside. Just watching the world go by…

 

"You can give it back now, dear."

 

She looks back down.

 

"Huh?"

 

"The cup, mom."

 

She looks to her left. Alice.

 

"Cup," Alice says. She tilts hers head. "She wants it back."

 

Kara blinks and looks from Alice to the apparent cup in her hands. Then slowly, she lifts her attention straight ahead, in the direction of the voice. A new voice. A new face. Another thing she had missed,

 

A human. This one fairly youthful, dark skinned and tall. She's visibly dressed in a lab coat. The front lapel is decorated with a badge. Cheif Medical Officer, Bridgette Squire.

 

Just as with Agent Howel, her face is kind and warm.

 

Wordlessly, Kara hands the empty cup of thirium back.

 

"Thank you. May I ask how long you've been without fresh blue blood?"

 

The answer is both easy and hard to say.

 

"November 11th, 2038."

 

The woman simply nods. Only moves to throw the cup away. There's no need for her to react further.

 

"Well, you'll be able to recharge easier soon. Your components too. They should work better soon, according to the...to the…."

 

"Ivehscope."

 

Both Alice and the doctor whip their attention outside. Kara slowly follows their gaze. Just beyond the cracked doorway, sits Agent Thatcher in a chair. His sun-glassed face somewhat engrossed in a magazine tablet. It's clear he's not going to speak again.

 

"Yes thank you, sir." Dr Bridgette calls back, she then turns her attention back to the identified ivescope. Once again Kara takes a second longer before her eyes follow. Her hearing may have been fine but following more than one voice was still a challenge.

 

"So what this does, is that It scans and engages self repair to any bio component faults in your system." The doctor notes both their confusion and points to Alice's head. "A lot like how the brain sends signals to human bodies on what to do. You'll learn that in school soon, Alice."

 

Alice taps her forehead lightly before turning to Kara.

 

"I told my brain I'm hungry."

 

The doctor laughs. "Oh, if it only worked like that... Well Kara! Other than a delayed scanning, you're completely healthy. I would however, still recommend waiting a day before trying to scan. You see the energy your getting is still going through your system. It may feel a bit much given the gap of…well, I think you understand that more than I would."

 

"I do, thank you doctor."

 

"N-No, thank you." The doctor replies, voice a tad uneasy. "You know you're the first android I've ever examined...but I'm sure that will change in time. It was very nice meeting you. And you too Alice. How's the lollipop?"

 

"Goove!"

 

Kara smiles at Alice before turning back to the doctor.

 

"Doctor Bridgette. Can I ask...what you mean when you said 'that will change'?"

 

"Oh yes. Well… Well see…things have changed in the states. Here, Androids are allowed to apply for positions for all criminal investigation departments, including the bureau. Soon I'll be giving them checkups like all my other patients. All the same intentions. Just different instruments to solve the problem."

 

"I see."

 

It was nothing short of incredible. The progress of Jericho and Marcus' efforts were exceeding.

 

Just now, she wonders if he too would be among the guest list. Marcus. Marcus would have to be, right? Of course he would. Him and any of the surviving androids of the church had a right to presence more than she ever did.

 

And yet here she is. Being treated like a treasure . Picked up. Treated. What was next? If Androids had that much rights it made sense for the agents to be accommodating. For Alice's sake, stop number two would involve something to eat. Candy was not sufficient. Surely FBI agents understood that.

 

"Oh and please know that I appreciate you doing what's right for the little girl."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Looks like I caught you in a daze. I just wanted to say that I think you're very brave for what you did."

 

Before Kara can speak, the door swings open.

 

"Thanks for the quick checkup, doc! Now what was that about scanning capabilities? Missy were you having trouble? You did say you scanned the car."

 

Ears of a hawk.

 

"Oh it's nothing too bad, Agent Howel. She could scan but her readings were a little fuzzy unless she really strained. But anyway..."

 

Kara feels Alice squeeze her hand.

 

"Lunch time?" She whispers.

 

She barely remembered much anything past the car ride but she does remember something about the promise of food. Once her system subsides, she'll access her memory. The wave had moved down to her abdomen.

 

"Sure." She whispers back. "Lunch time."

 

"Right!"

 

Kara looks up to see Agent Howel tapping his chin. "So it's like a near sighted person trying to read the small print."

 

"Yes, exactly that Agent Howel."

 

"Hm. Well, good to hear that's all done. So, who leads us out?"

 

"I've got clearance to guide you back to the car. We take the elevator at the end of the hall."

 

"Perfect. And we've still got time to get some food too."

 

"You know Agent Howel, the cafeteria on the basement floor should be open-"

 

"Doc, no offense but I'm looking for something that improves the future of my appetite. Like burgers for breakfast. Also has a kids menu too." Ike looks over to Kara and Alice and flashes a smile. "You two ready?"

 

"Yeah!" Alice hops onto her feet. The pitch in her voice is obviously influenced by the mention of fast food. She would have darted ahead but she turns back to Kara. A tickle of worry in her eyes when she sees her still. "Are you ready mom?

 

"Of course."

 

She pushes herself off the bench easy and almost immediately her body takes a sharp descent.


End file.
